UPSIDE DOWN

It was already during his studies at the Royal College of Arts that the London designer, Khashayar Naimanan, designed the Hidden Wealth service for Nymphenburg – a service which turns the conventions of porcelain painting on their head: Nymphenburg's mark is located on the top of the simple service with the complex paintings of Nymphenburg's designs being hidden underneath. Naimanan selected two floral patterns for HIDDEN WEALTH: one from the rococo period with naturalistic sometimes stylised blossoms in warm brilliant colours and leaves made from 24-carat gold as well as a classical empire design with a gilded vine that was originally used to adorn a tea service. Experts must usually check the marks on the bottom of porcelain pieces. But this design makes the actual value of the pieces immediately apparent on first inspection. While the splendour beneath the plain appearance of the mark remains concealed to cursory glances.

While I'm not crazy about the idea of plastering a logo on the TOP of a dish (yuck?), the painted undersides are genius, as is this lucite/mirrored dining contraption they obviously necessitate. I have a mirrored desk top with more brick-a-brack on it than Princess Margaret's had, and I often marvel at the undersides of the dishes and ephemera sitting on top of it.  It's a whole side of stuff you don't normally get to see.  It'd make for a novel dining experience,  at the very least...

Nymphenburg "Hidden Wealth" Service, by Khashayar Naimanan. Images via Nymphenburg and Stylepark in Residence.

THE ROCKS THAT I GOT

Okay, more like, rock (crystal) that I wish I had. And my deepest apologies for the J Lo reference, hahaaaa.

Images from Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels, Oct 1998 auction.

Above, Highly Important Art Deco eighteen-karat gold, rock crystal and enamel temple clock, Van Cleef & Arpels, Paris, c. 1926, made byb Verger Frères.

Made by Verger Frères, renowned during the 1920's for their spectacular timepieces, the present clock represents the perfect confluence of technical craftsmanship and Art Deco design.  Georges Verger achieved fame as the only clock maker besides Cartier who possessed the secret of the famous "mystery clocks" which the firm manufactured for Van Cleef & Arpels.  Verger Frères was no less well known, however, for its meticulously and lavishly detailed table clocks, often decorated with exotic motifs.  Although the present clock is styled as a Japanese temple door and the dial surround is decorated with grisaille enamel signs of the zodiac in the manner of antique Roman cameos, the motifs blend seamlessly.  The clock is a remarkable example of superb craftsmanship and exotic and sophisticated Art Deco design.  $200,000- 250,000.

Above, Eighteen-karat gold, rock crystal and diamond bracelet, David Webb.

Above, Suite of eighteen-karat gold, rock crystal, diamond and enamel jewelry, David Webb.

Mix-Match

Surely, you've heard it before, but wholeheartedly, you'd better believe that's it's okay pretty fabulous to mix-match place settings, rather than employ one matching set.  All of these old plates were ones I found in thrift shops, on eBay (search Czech plates, vintage plates, or Bavarian porcelain), or, well, in thrift shops... Seemingly random in nature, but all it takes is a united color scheme, or pattern, or degree of gilding, to pull them together.

Besides, you don't want to look like the sort of person who buys his silver, do you?

Giger + Lalique = Chic?

Lalique meets Giger? Think: Cleopatra makes a guest appearance in Alien.

Left: Lalique Scarab Vase, Lead Crystal, $1,190.00 at NM. 

Right: H.R. Giger's Harkonnen Chairs, designed for a production of the sci-fi novel Dune in the 90s (but never used), now available through Miles & Generalis. Approx $15,000.00/chair.

Scarab Vase photo via Stella's Roar

Glossy Black

YES.

Muirfield Bench, from Downtown's Classics Collection.

WANT

Alpine Neo-Classical Goat Hair Stools. Italy, 20th century. Available through Coup D'Etat on 1stdibs.com.

I'm very much into my huge Mongolian sheepskin coat. This is clearly the next step.

Skull Time

Scan from Art & Antiques, October 1985.

Oh What I Would If I Could...

1. "Bonbon Treasure," from the Crystal Candy Set by Jamie Hayon for Baccarat. Limited edition, 1 of 25. www.hayonstudio.com, www.baccarat.com
2. "Blackberry Freeze" in clear and amethyst crystal, from the Crystal Candy Set by Jamie Hayon for Baccarat. Limited edition, 1 of 25. www.hayonstudio.com, www.baccarat.com
3. Medusa Bust work in progress by Philadelphia based artist Adam Wallacavage.
4. Turquoise vintage cross bottle by Claire Montrose. Available online at Greyfreth.
5, "Nuclear Pomegranate" from the Crystal Candy Set by Jamie Hayon for Baccarat. Limited edition, 1 of 25. www.hayonstudio.com, www.baccarat.com
6. Clear vintage cross bottle by Claire Montrose. Available online at Greyfreth.
7. Rings by Turkish jeweler Sevan Bickaki . Available at Barneys.
8-11. Hand blocked textiles by Venetian designer Mirella Spinella.
12. Rock crystal obelisks. C. Mariani Antiques.
13. Baxter "Chester Moon" sofa.
14. "Miroir Fait Mur" mirror by Galerie Maison Darré.

Let Them Eat Cake

Lately, I've been shamelessly drawn to the idea of living life in varying shades of pastel. Think thick gobs of cake icing, Florine Stettheimer paintings, and jordan almonds.

Light aquamarines, pale pinks, nudes, golds and grays; there's something delightful and fantastic about embracing such an overtly...feminine...color scheme.

Here are a few of my favorite pastel "moments," where good design transforms what could easily become a child's playground style disaster.

1. Wedgwood Pink Cameo Archival Mug. This was actually recently featured in a British Vogue feature of Plum Sykes's favorite things. However, it's near impossible to find as Wedgwood discontinued it a while ago.






2. Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst is like fashion photography in motion, a giant layered cake full of aquamarines, pinks, peaches, frosty whites, ruffles, tulles, silks, and crystals. It's divine. Unfortunately, it's a miserable movie on most other accounts (plot: it has none; acting: lackluster).

3. As it turns out, Marie Antoinette's actual rooms were more glorious than the movie's sets that they must have inspired. Below, the Méridienne, a small room decorated by Richard Miqué for Antoinette in 1781. The delicately luxurious couch is to die for. Scan from The Grand Tour: Homes of Kings, 1977.
4. Antique Capodimonte porcelain lamps and ceramic floral bouquets. The lamp on the left is quite possibly the best lamp that ever existed, that's how much I adore it. Every night before bed, I contemplate eating it, since it could pretty much double as a cupcake.

5. At the moment, I'm very much into oversized silk scarf pillows. I made this one with a delicate Oscar de la Renta scarf, and backed it in a bold gray/white stripe.

6. The dusty pink walls and blue gray woodwork of this room by Christophe Gollut mimic the palette of a sunset. It's a subtle use of pastels, and he makes the color scheme work brilliantly. Scan from Textile Style by Caroline Clifton-Mogg, 2000.

A tiger at Sotheby's, 1999

The reason you should buy some quality tiger upholstery, NOW:

19th Century Continental, Neoclassical settee and armchairs, auctioned at Sotheby's May 4, 1999. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000.

A while back I did a post about Laura Bush's decision to upholster a particular settee in tiger print. She was RAILED for this decision, both by People Magazine (who compared it to Elvis's jungle room) and apparently her mother in law.

I didn't see what the big deal was then, and I still don't now. The concept of using tiger on classical pieces 1. isn't new and 2. doesn't necessarily indicate that one harbor's dreams of Elvis plopped on said settee, singing "Heartbreak Hotel" clad in white polyester.

This image of a 19th century settee auctioned at Sotheby's in '99 reminded me just how exciting tiger can be, minus the Elvis imagery and shag carpet, of course.

Faucets in Space

Scan from World of Interiors, May 2009.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who found this market story particularly humorous. Yeah, kitchen hardware in itself doesn't really float my boat, but hey, at least it floats in space, courtesy of The World of Interiors.

Two questions.

1. Why is it that faucets-as-satellites in orbit around Earth are so much more interesting than their silhouetted-against-a-white-background counterparts? Something to consider.

2. What substances were the editors that produced this using? Please inform, I would like some too. And send some over to the U.S. while you're at it. Our shelter mags are in need of it.

Yours truly,

XX Lauren.

You Are What You Read

Well, maybe not. But at the very least, your design aesthetic is informed by what you read and look at; of this, I am convinced.

For that reason, I've always loved looking at the books that are used as props in shoots. It's sort of one of those guiltily satisfying games, you know? Books on display in rooms are funny things: either someone reads them and loves them, or wants you to think that they read them and love them. Involve stylists, decorators, proud homeowners and magazines with international readerships, and well, what you get is a fantastic game of artifice!

That having been said, these are a few of my (genuine) favorites at the moment (clockwise from top left.) As a side note, any of these would make fab gifts for the design minded and creatively inclined:

1. Artists' Houses by Gerard-Georges Lemaire, Jean-Claude Amiel. The lives and personal spaces of creative and eccentric people are a source of never ending interest to me. This book has all of the standards (Church, William Morris) and impressively, some more bizarre finds.

2. Faberge and the Russian Master Goldsmiths, by Gerard Hill, G.G. Smorodinova, B.L. Ulyanova. Gorgeous, glossy images of the famous eggs, jewelry, and other objets d'art. We've all seen the eggs—in my opinion its the copious images of snuff boxes, jewelry, and imperial gifts that make this book really worthwhile.

3. Inside the White Cube: The Ideology of the Gallery Space by Brian O'Doherty and Thomas McEvilley. A really thought provoking look at the confines of the "white box" gallery and the ways in which artists have reacted to it. This one always makes me think about context, and how I choose to display art.

4. Vogue Living: Houses Gardens People by Hamish Bowles. This hefty volume has gotten a lot of hype, but in my opinion, it's well deserved. Of course, glossy images of interiors are always more interesting when there's a character involved, and there's a whole lot of character in here— everyone from Madonna to Julian Schnabel, and plenty in between.

5. Beds by Diane Von Furstenberg. Beds are an intimate window into their owner's lives, and good old Diane has assembled quite an impressive collection of some of the finest bedrooms around.

6. Dictator Style by Peter York and Douglas Coupland. This one is all in good fun. The tone is casual, but the writing leaves a lot to be desired. Some of the images are surprisingly posh, some are riotously hilarious.

7. Tony Duquette by Wendy Goodman, Hutton Wilkinson and Dominick Dunne. The images in here are literally like dreams. Think fantastical sets, elaborate costume balls, and creative, over the top interiors.

8. Confessions of a Window Dresser: Tales from the Life of Fashion by Simon Doonan. The bizarrely cool creative director from Barney's shares stories of eccentricity and comedy, alongside images of imaginative and surreal window displays. What's not to love?

9. Interiors by Minn Hogg, Wendy Harrop and the World of Interiors. Some of the best interiors you'll ever encounter, divided into several decorating "categories". I go back to this time and again. Enough said.

10. The Hermitage: The History of The Buildings and Halls ed. by Nina Grishina and Maria Lyzhenkova. Bar none, my favorite museum is the Hermitage. The way one views art here makes it worth the trip to Russia alone. This book is about the building itself, rather than the artwork hanging on the walls. Take note of the richly textured finishes and luscious use of color.

A Tin in a China Closet

Who says curio cabinets should only be stocked with priceless porcelain? Vintage tins can be just as lovely. The cherry on the cake is that it's easy to find interesting ones on eBay for under $20. Look for old English ones; you usually can't go wrong with those.

Assorted vintage tins. Image hosted on imageshack.us

I Want My Geese to Lay Gold Egg(plant)s for Easter...

At least a hundred a day!

And by the way...

Some people are inclined to equate golden decorative vegetables divorced from a Christmas context with egregious tackiness. I beg to differ. Actually, what better way to look forward to spring than with golden vegetation? If only the damn things would sprout out of the ground in this kind of gleaming glory.

Vintage gold glazed porcelain fruits, displayed on vintage tray.

Devil's in the Details

If the devil is in the details, then the best way to give him a run for his money is by. . . changing the finials on your lamps. All of them. Even the new ones. ESPECIALLY the new ones. Old finials make lackluster lamps look more expensive and worldly. A few of my favorite antique gobstoppers:

Lamp finials, all vintage

And then a little secret. The best play to find old, heavy, cracked and otherwise interesting finials is secondhand. Rip them off ugly lamps, scour the internet, search eBay regularly, dig them out of the trash! Some of my finials were seriously a steal. A cursory search on Ebay and then Etsy yielded these:

Left to right: Etsy,ornate brass finial from myohmymaggie, $12.00, Ebay fleur de lis finial, Etsy porcelain rose finial from mothtoaflame, $32.00, Ebay ruby glass finials, Ebay amber glass finials, Ebay tole flower finial.